1 Pet. v. 7.

Phil. iv. 6.

Heb. xiii. 5.

17.

2 Pet. i. 3.

33.

SERM. toward us even in this respect; his care will not be II. wanting to feed us and clothe us comfortably, to protect us from evil, to prosper our good undertakings. Hence doth he command us to care for nothing, but to cast our care upon him, to recommend our business to him, because he careth for us; he will never forsake us; he will hear our prayers, and help us. Matth. vi. Hence we are enjoined not to trust in uncertain Tim. vi. riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. Hence it is said, that the divine power hath given us all things pertaining unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue. Hence it is Matth. vi. promised by our Lord, that if we seek first the kingdom of God, all things shall be added to us. Hence it is inferred, as consequential to the nature of the evangelical dispensation, that we cannot want Rom. viii. any good thing; He, saith St. Paul, that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? In fine, hence it is proposed as notorious, that nothing is permitted to fall out otherwise than Rom. viii. as conduceth to our good. We know, saith St. Paul, that all things work together for good unto those that love God: nor will God, in any case, suffer us to be tempted, by any want or pressure, beyond what we are able to bear. Thus is piety evidently profitable, as having the promises of this life, or exhibiting all temporal blessings desirable to the practisers thereof.

32.

28.

1 Cor. x. 13.

But infinitely more profitable it is, as having the promises of the future life, or as procuring a title to those incomparably more excellent blessings of the other world; those indefectible treasures, that

33.

2 Cor. iv.

I Pet. i. 8.

incorruptible, undefiled, and never-fading inherit- SERM. ance, reserved in heaven for us; that exceeding II. weight of glory; those ineffable joys of paradise, Luke xii. that lightsome countenance and beatifying presence i Pet. i. 4. of God; that unconceivably and unexpressibly joy-17. ful, glorious, perfect, and endless bliss; briefly, all iv. 13. that is comprised and intimated in those words of the apostle, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nei-1 Cor. ii. 9. ther have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. Infinitely profitable surely must that be, which procureth those things for us: and in these respects great reason had St. Paul to say, that godliness is profitable for all things.

But further to evidence and recommend this point, I might propound certain peculiar advantages arising from piety, which have a very general influence upon our lives, and do afford unto them exceeding benefit but this I must, in regard to the time and your patience, at present forbear.

SERMON III.

THE PROFITABLENESS OF GODLINESS.

III.

1 TIM. iv. 8.

-but godliness is profitable for all things.

SERM. IN discoursing formerly upon these words, I did propound divers general considerations, serving to confirm and recommend this assertion of St. Paul. I shall now insist upon some others more particular, which yet seem much conducible to the same purpose, declaring the vast utility of religion or piety.

I. We may consider, that religion doth prescribe the truest and best rules of action; thence enlightening our mind, and rectifying our practice in all matters, and upon all occasions, so that whatever is performed according to it, is done well and wisely, with a comely grace in regard to others, with a cheerful satisfaction in our own mind, with the best assurance, that things are here capable of, to find happy success and beneficial fruit.

Of all things in the world there is nothing more generally profitable than light: by it we converse with the world, and have all things set before us; by it we truly and easily discern things in their right magnitude, shape, and colour; by it we guide our steps safely in prosecution of what is good, and shunning what is noxious; by it our spirits are

re

III.

Luke xvi. 8.
Eph. v. 8.
Thess. v.

5.
John xii.

36.

Psal. cxix.

comfortably warmed and cheered, our life conse- SERM. quently, our health, our vigour, and activity are preserved. The like benefits doth religion, which is the light of our soul, yield to it. Pious men are children of the light; pious works are works of light shining before men. God's word (or true ligion) is a lamp unto our feet, and a light unto our path; enabling us to perceive things, and judge Matt. v. 16. rightly of them; teaching us to walk straightly and Eph. v. 11. surely, without erring or stumbling; qualifying us 105. to embrace what is useful, and to avoid hurtful things; preserving our spiritual life, and disposing us to act well with a vigorous alacrity: without it a man is stark blind, and utterly benighted, gropeth Is. lix. 10. in doubt, wandereth in mistake, trippeth upon all Deut. occasions, and often falleth into mischief. The path Prov. iv. of the just, saith the Wise Man, is as the shining 18, 19. light. The way of the wicked is as darkness, they Prov. xiii. know not at what they stumble. Righteousness' keepeth him that is upright in the way; but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

Again it is a fair ornament of a man, and a grand convenience both to himself, and to others with whom he converseth or dealeth, to act regularly, uniformly, and consistently; freeing a man's self from distraction and irresolution in his mind, from change and confusion in his proceedings; securing others from delusion and disappointment in their transactions with him. a Even a bad rule constantly observed is therefore better than none: order and perseverance in any way seemeth more conve

a Via eunti aliquid extremum est; error immensus est. Sen. Ep. 16.

Job v. 14.

xxviii. 29.

6. xi. 3. 5.

SERM. nient than roving and tossing about in uncertainties. III. But, secluding a regard to the precepts of religion,

there can hardly be any sure or settled rule, which firmly can engage a man to, or effectually restrain a man from any thing.

There is scarce in nature any thing so wild, so untractable, so unintelligible, as a man who hath no bridle of conscience to guide or check him. A profane man is like a ship, without anchor to stay him, or rudder to steer him, or compass to guide him; so that he is tossed with any wind, and driven with any wave, none knoweth whither; whither bodily temper doth sway him, or passion doth hurry him, or interest doth pull him, or example leadeth him, or company inveigleth and haleth him, or humour transporteth him; whither any such variable and unaccountable causes determine him, or divers of them together distract him whence he so rambleth and hovereth, that he can seldom himself tell what in any case he should do, nor can another guess it; so that you cannot at any time know where to find him, or how to deal with him: you cannot with reason ever rely upon him, so unstable he is in all his ways. He is in effect a mere child, all humour and giddiness, somewhat worse than a beast, which, following the instinct of its nature, is constant and regular, and thence tractable; or at least so untractable, that no man will be deceived in meddling with him. Nothing therefore can be more unmanly than such a person, nothing can be more unpleasant than to have to do with him.

b Nihil est tam occupatum, tam multiforme, tot ac tam variis affectibus concisum atque laceratum, quam mala mens. Quint. xii. 1.